Page 32 - ARUBA TODAY

A32 FEATURE
Thursday 1 February 2018
Historic Vegas neon signs shine bright for 1st time in years

By REGINA GARCIA CANO tos, drone video and other
Associated Press references to digitally rec-
LAS VEGAS (AP) — As Frank reate each sign, bulb by
Sinatra asks Lady Luck to bulb. He then used a scan-
stick around, the neon red ning process to determine
lights of one of Las Vegas’ the precise placement of
most famous towering eight projectors to ensure
signs appear to dance un- the alignment of the con-
der the night sky, revealing tent with the bulbs, rusted
a beating heart and the metal and tubes of the
rest of the marquee of a signs.
famed casino-hotel. Other “There are moments here
rusted, dusted and broken where there’s no bulb, but
neon signs in a large gravel I’ve created a digital bulb
lot ringed by a security wall that is in its place,” Winslow
appear to light up with said. “From far away it just
neon not seen for decades looks like the sign is lit. You
as other classic tunes play get up closer, and you re-
in the background. alize all these are broken
But these former Sin City or there are missing bulbs
landmarks are missing light or hanging bulbs.”
bulbs and some of the re- As the Binion’s horseshoe
maining are cracked or flickers in shades of gold
hang by a wire. They have and red, Dean Martin
not being restored and are croons “I Love Vegas.”
not plugged to a power In this April 1, 2004, file photo, workers prepare the stage for a ribbon-cutting ceremony in front Meanwhile, Presley’s “Viva
outlet. Augmented real- of Binion’s Horseshoe Casino on Fremont Street in downtown Las Vegas. Las Vegas” blasts as the set
ity tests last week made it Associated Press of the Stardust letters shine.
look like many of the city’s Historical footage of this
famed neon signs are burn- this space,” said Neon Mu- experience presented af- lights quite like Las Vegas. gambling oasis will also be
ing brightly again. seum president and chief ter sunset allows visitors to Dozens of those now-re- projected onto the signs,
Forty neon signs that once executive officer Rob Mc- walk freely around the out- tired signs are housed at showing Liberace playing
drew visitors to some of Las Coy. door gallery and get close the museum but not all the piano and gamblers
Vegas’ most iconic casino- He added: “This is Las Ve- to the signs. A soundtrack remain functional, leaving playing table games.
hotels and other venues will gas as it was. It is very emo- that includes Elvis Presley’s it up to visitors to imagine “Whether they come by
shine again for the public tional. Even people who “Night Life,” ‘’Mr. Sand- what the marquees looked car, rail or circle the city
starting Thursday night at don’t live here, but live man” by The Chordettes like decades ago. Re- and dropping by plane,
the Neon Museum, but not around the United States and Ella Fitzgerald’s “I’m storing the signs can cost their eyes pop wide open
a single one of their lights or around the world, they Beginning to See The Light” tens of thousands of dol- with their first glimpse of
will truly be on. The unre- all have in their heads a plays in tandem with each lars each so using projec- Las Vegas,” a historical
stored marquees, worn by romantic image of Las Ve- sign that is illuminated. tion mapping is a cheaper narration plays right be-
the beating sun and twist- gas, and it’s usually that Neon signs were intro- process to show what they fore the signs begin to light
ed by desert winds, are vintage, neon Las Vegas.” duced to the United States once looked like lighted up. “A city whose head is
being brought back to life The signs on display include at the 1893 World Fair in up. wreathed in garlands of
thanks to projection map- the Golden Nugget, Lady Chicago. But no city em- Digital artist and designer neon signs, and a city of
ping, a type of augmented Luck, Binion’s Horseshoe braced the luminous tube Craig Winslow used pho- storybook west.”q
reality created by project- and the first four futuristic-
ing life-like digital anima- looking letters of the Star-
tions of the signs onto the dust because the sign at
hulking metal. the museum is missing the
“We are combining art, “dust” part of it.
history and technology in The 30-minute immersive

In this Jan. 24, 2018, photo, digital artist and designer Craig
Winslow works on an exhibit at the Neon Museum in Las In this Jan. 24, 2018, photo, projectors light up non-working neon signs at an exhibit at the Neon
Vegas. Museum in Las Vegas.
Associated Press Associated Press